Webinar: The Fundamentals of Internal Communications – Part One

[Music] Introduction and Housekeeping

In this section, Sean Gibbons introduces the webinar on internal communications and provides some housekeeping information for the attendees.

Two-Word Check-In

• Sean introduces the "two-word check-in" concept borrowed from Professor Brene Brown, where participants share their name, location, and how they are feeling in two words.

Jobs Board and Listserv

• The network has a jobs board where job postings can be shared. A specific job posting for a manager of internal communications at the Hilton Foundation is highlighted.

• There is a listserv available to ask questions within the community, emphasizing its value in getting quick and diverse responses.

Internal Communications Resources

This section covers resources available for internal communicators to stay connected and informed within the field.

Newsletter and Circles Program

• The network offers a monthly newsletter with updates on industry happenings and encourages sign-ups for staying informed.

• The Circles program is mentioned as a platform for members to connect based on shared interests or job roles, providing opportunities for collaboration.

Local Groups and Conference Updates

Updates on local group meetings around the country and details about an upcoming conference are discussed.

Local Group Meetings

• Local groups in various regions allow professionals to connect locally. Specific events in Portland and Denver are highlighted.

Conference Announcement

• An upcoming conference in Seattle from October 12th to 14th is announced with limited seats available. Attendees are encouraged to register early due to space constraints.

Conclusion

Final announcements regarding additional resources within the field of internal communications are shared by Sean Gibbons.

Additional Resources

World Central Kitchen Conversation

In this section, the speaker introduces a conversation with World Central Kitchen in Seattle and acknowledges Teresa for providing ASL services. Jenny from the UK is also introduced for further discussions.

Introduction to Jenny and Q&A Session

• Jenny's background in communications for 20 years, owning a consultancy called Redefining Communications, and her experience in publishing books and podcasts.

• Announcement of an upcoming Q&A session called "office hours" where participants can ask questions directly to Jenny between 2:00 PM and 2:30 PM.

• Jenny takes over, encourages chat interaction, shares her slides, and expresses gratitude for the opportunity to share insights.

Internal Communication Definitions

This part delves into internal communication definitions, distinguishing it from employee engagement and employee experience while emphasizing the importance of defining its purpose within organizations.

Defining Internal Communication

• Jenny's expertise in internal communication, discussing its definitions, differences from employee engagement and experience.

• Topics covered include internal communication definitions, differences from employee engagement/experience, foundations of internal communication, key steps for impactful communication.

• Introduction to a framework for creating an internal communications strategy suitable even with limited resources.

Understanding Internal Communication Function

• Importance of distinguishing between internal communication as a concept and as a function within organizations.

• Discussion on various definitions of internal communication by academics and consultants alongside sharing Jenny's personal definition focusing on curation, enabling best practices efficiently.

Employee Engagement Definition

• Differentiating between internal communication functions like managing budgets versus finance functions to clarify roles within organizations.

Are Employee Engagement and Experience Interconnected?

The speaker discusses the importance of workplace approaches, employee engagement, and employee experience in organizational communication.

Workplace Approach and Employee Engagement

• Workplace approach is crucial despite challenges in measuring it.

• Based on a report from the UK in 2009.

• Employee engagement involves commitment to goals and values.

• Linked to well-being and individuality.

Employee Experience Definitions

• Employee experience defined as creating an inspiring environment.

• Focus on cultural, technological, and physical aspects.

• Pandemic impact on employee experience due to lack of physical workspaces.

• Shift towards belonging, psychological safety, and alignment with organization's strategies.

Understanding Human Behavior in Organizational Context

Exploring human instincts and reactions within organizational settings based on evolutionary psychology.

Evolutionary Psychology Insights

• Human behavior influenced by ancient survival instincts.

• Brain functions similarly to cave people era for predicting threats and rewards.

• Instinctive reactions to change driven by need for safety and predictability.

• Ambiguity leads to anxiety; inability to predict triggers fear responses.

Impact of Stories on Perception during Change

Discussing the role of storytelling in shaping perceptions during organizational change processes.

Storytelling Influence

• Individuals create stories to feel safe amidst uncertainty.

• Dr. Brene Brown's concept of self-narratives influencing feelings of safety.

• Perception influenced by storytelling regardless of news positivity or negativity.

Communication Foundations and Stakeholder Management

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of communication in organizations, emphasizing the need for clear information to create a sense of safety and predictability. Additionally, the speaker introduces key principles for effective communication and strategies for stakeholder management.

Understanding Communication Needs

• People seek information to feel safe and prefer tailored communication.

• Six foundational keys to impactful communication are highlighted.

• The first key is focusing on the audience's needs rather than personal preferences.

Tailoring Communication to Audience

• Effective communication involves understanding audience preferences.

• Importance of aligning communication with what the audience values.

• Tailoring content based on stakeholders' knowledge and preferences.

Stakeholder Categorization and Management Models

This segment delves into categorizing stakeholders based on influence and interest levels, offering practical models for stakeholder analysis and management.

Stakeholder Categorization

• Understanding stakeholder segments through various criteria like location or opinions.

• Mapping stakeholders based on influence and interest levels for project alignment.

Stakeholder Management Models

• Introduction to the 70s of stakeholders model focusing on power, urgency, and legitimacy.

Setting Effective Communication Boundaries

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of setting boundaries in communication and provides a model to guide effective communication strategies.

Model for Effective Communication

• When communicating with others, always consider the "think, feel, do" model to ensure clarity and purpose in your message.

Importance of Clarity and Tone

• Emphasize the importance of maintaining a clear purpose behind communication efforts and ensuring that the tone aligns with both personal and organizational branding.

Simplifying Language for Impact

• Utilize simple language over complex jargon or long words to enhance credibility and understanding among recipients.

Structuring Communication Effectively

This segment focuses on structuring communication content logically to engage audiences effectively.

Clear Structure for Communication

• Follow the approach of "tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them" to provide a clear structure in presentations or written content.

Logical Flow and Predictability

• Emphasize the significance of logical flow in communication materials to help audiences anticipate information delivery, fostering a sense of comfort and understanding.

Adapting Communication Channels

The speaker highlights the importance of adapting communication channels to match content requirements for enhanced engagement.

Channel Adaptation for Richer Experiences

• Tailor communication formats based on content needs by considering alternatives such as voice notes, podcasts, infographics, or virtual reality experiences for diverse engagement opportunities.

Attention Span Considerations

Insight into Internal Communication Strategy

In this section, the speaker outlines five key steps for improving internal communication within an organization: insight, business intelligence, principles, communication, and measurement.

Insight as the First Step

• Insight involves conducting research to understand employee sentiments and organizational alignment.

• Utilize tools like employee engagement surveys to gauge feelings and assess alignment with the organization's strategy.

• Conduct internal communications audits to identify what information employees need versus want to know for effective communication strategies.

• Distinguish between content employees need for their roles and what they desire about the organization.

Understanding Employee Needs and Preferences

This segment emphasizes the importance of discerning what information employees require and prefer in terms of communication channels.

Tailoring Communication Approaches

• Identify what employees need versus want to know about the organization.

• Engage in dialogues with employees to uncover communication-related challenges within the organization.

• Employ a mix of surveys, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations based on organizational size for comprehensive insights.

• Emphasize the significance of qualitative data from focus groups or interviews over relying solely on surveys for deeper understanding.

Balancing Internal and External Perception

The discussion shifts towards considering both internal and external perceptions of an organization for holistic communication strategies.

Integrating Internal and External Insights

• Highlight the importance of assessing external perceptions alongside internal views for comprehensive strategic planning.

• Explore hierarchies within organizations by engaging with leadership teams and employees to bridge gaps in understanding.

Defining Value in Communication Strategies

The speaker shares a personal anecdote emphasizing the necessity of aligning communication efforts with organizational values.

Aligning Communication with Organizational Values

• Stress the importance of defining value in communication aligned with organizational objectives.

Conversation on Value in Communication

In this section, the speaker discusses a transformative conversation about value in communication and its impact on strategy.

Value of Communication

• The concept of value in communication was linked to risk, specifically reputational risk and overall organizational risk. This insight reshaped the speaker's strategy and approach to their role as the global head of communications.

• Understanding the importance of having difficult conversations and taking action based on insights gained from these discussions is highlighted as a valuable lesson. Courage to address challenging topics can lead to significant improvements in outcomes.

• Reflecting on past experiences emphasizes the significance of timely actions based on insights, indicating that addressing issues earlier could have made tasks easier. Proactive engagement with risks and challenges is crucial for effective communication strategies.

Business Intelligence

• Business intelligence or organizational intelligence plays a vital role in understanding how an organization functions beyond formal structures like organizational charts. Effective communication flow within an organization requires knowledge of processes, interactions, IT infrastructure, annual reports, and business structure.

• Internal communication's purpose is ultimately aligned with ensuring employees work towards achieving organizational goals by understanding the organization's objectives thoroughly. This underscores the importance of internal communicators grasping business intelligence to facilitate effective communication strategies.

Principles for Internal Communication Setup

This part delves into establishing principles for internal communication setup based on functional objectives and external advice.

Setting Up Principles

• Establishing functional objectives through research and insights is crucial for determining actionable steps in internal communication setups, especially for small teams seeking external guidance for effective decision-making processes.

Content Relevance and Communication Strategy

In this section, the speaker discusses the importance of aligning content with brand, location, and relevance. They delve into structuring a team or function that aligns with organizational principles and business strategy to create an effective communication strategy.

Importance of Relevance in Content Creation

• Emphasizes the significance of relevance in content creation based on organizational principles and business strategy.

• Discusses the components of communication strategy including channels, content, audiences, and information.

• Mentions the use of channel matrix and content strategy templates for effective communication planning.

• Describes the structure of a channel matrix including sections for channel name, tools, frequency, audience, and content.

Channel Matrix Example

The speaker provides insights into creating a channel matrix by sharing an example from their experience. They highlight the importance of mapping out channels to understand frequency and audience segmentation for effective communication strategies.

Mapping Channels for Effective Communication

• Illustrates a channel matrix example used during their work experience.

• Explains how different channels like online platforms and face-to-face events are mapped out in terms of content focus and audience.

• Stresses the need for audience segmentation in communication strategies to avoid broadcasting messages to everyone without differentiation.

Content Strategy Alignment

The speaker discusses the importance of linking content to organizational objectives through a content strategy. They emphasize aligning content creation with business goals for effective communication planning.

Aligning Content with Organizational Objectives

• Highlights the role of a comprehensive content strategy in connecting content creation with organizational objectives.

• Shares insights on past experiences with a print magazine named "Flavor" within a hospitality context.

How to Align Content with Business Objectives

In this section, the speaker discusses aligning content with business objectives and outlines the process of creating content pillars based on different business goals.

Creating Content Pillars

• Identify different business objectives to create specific content pillars.

• Content pillars for objective two include videos, stories from the floor, apprentice features, and news about new products.

• Linking content to business objectives helps in engaging frontline workers and encouraging career growth within the organization.

• Emphasizes the importance of understanding the objective and aligning content accordingly.

Importance of Measurement in Communication Strategy

This part focuses on the significance of measurement in communication strategies and how it contributes to organizational success.

Measurement for Success

• Measurement should be linked to organizational success rather than just tracking metrics like views or clicks.

• Example provided where communication efforts were measured based on reducing accidents within the organization.

• Stress on measuring impact on organizational goals rather than vanity metrics like views or clicks.

Evaluating Collaboration and Creativity in Communication Processes

The discussion shifts towards evaluating collaboration, creativity, and thinking time in communication processes while emphasizing outcome-based measurements.

Evaluating Internal Processes

• Focus on measuring outputs and outcomes as indicators of successful collaboration and creativity.

• Suggests that justification for time spent should be based on whether outputs are fit for purpose and effective.

Purpose and Tangible Outputs in Communication

In this segment, the speaker emphasizes the importance of defining the purpose of an organization to guide its actions effectively. Additionally, they stress the need for tangible and measurable outcomes in creative endeavors.

Defining Organizational Purpose

• The speaker highlights the significance of understanding the purpose of an organization before determining its actions.

• Emphasizes the need to take steps back to clarify objectives before moving forward effectively.

Importance of Tangible Outputs

• Discusses how creativity and collaboration are often emphasized without considering tangible results.